


Fireflies In The Dark

by in_pariswithlove



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst and Romance, Blood and Gore, Character Death, Disturbing Themes, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, F/F, Falling In Love, Gay Kim Jisoo (BLACKPINK), Healing, Heartwrenching, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Mentioned BLACKPINK, Slow Burn, Survival Horror, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:13:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28723398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_pariswithlove/pseuds/in_pariswithlove
Summary: {Kim Jisoo x Female Reader}Rated: 17+In the wake of a nation-wide plague that had ravaged humanity, Kim Jisoo lost the one person she loved the most. Jisoo's whole world fell apart and it took many years to rebuild herself in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. However, as damaged as she was, Jisoo is not someone who will go down without a fight. Now 26 years old, Jisoo and her partner, Roseanne, come across a mission by Irene, the leader of the infamous militia group: Red Redemption.The task is simple, deliver an illegal package to the other side of the city without getting caught, yet soon proves to be difficult as this "package" comes in the form of a young woman named Y/N. There is something special about this girl, therefore she requires protection. Through unplanned mixed events, Jisoo and Y/N embark on a life-changing adventure that could determine the fate of humanity once and for all.©️ in_pariswithlove 2021
Relationships: Kim Jisoo (BLACKPINK)/Reader, Kim Jisoo (BLACKPINK)/You
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by and is based on Naughty Dog's popular video game, The Last Of Us. It follows the major events of the story with a few changes from my behalf. The Last Of Us is a hauntingly beautiful story-game and I wrote this with the intention of getting more people to discover it. I highly recommend checking out the original game if you haven't yet, if not, you can enjoy it here through my words too :)
> 
> Oh, and you’ll find many side characters from other kpop groups as well.

Only one thing was on Jisoo's mind as she trudged up the stairs to her shared dorm room, to convince her brother of being ridiculous. The sound of Jisoo's boots making contact with the marble steps sent echoes bouncing off the walls and was only interrupted by her firm voice speaking into a phone.

" _Oppa_ , please try to understand. He is my boss, okay? My boss. That means I can't just do whatever the hell I want — no! Are you even listening to me?" Jisoo pushed on a large door that led into a brightly lit hallway. She walked past the doors spread evenly wide apart until reaching a door marked with the number, _515_. While holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, Jisoo pulled out the lanyard on her neck and unlocked the door with a key attached at the end. She pushed to open the door while continuing her argument on the phone. "Look, graduation or not, I cannot change my schedule. I'm off next Sunday and that's when I'll be coming to visit. I'm sorry but that's just how it is... Jin-ah? Hey Kim Seokjin! Are you there?' Jisoo brought the phone back to check the screen, only to discover that... 'he just fucking hung up on me."

Jisoo sighed as she turned off her phone and placed it in the front pocket of her jeans. The sound of a person yawning on the other side of the room made her glance up. "Oh, Jennie-ah, did I wake you?" Jisoo asked Jennie as the younger girl stretched and rubbed her feline-like eyes. Jennie smiled and stood to greet the latter.

"You did, but it's alright. I fell asleep on the couch when I need to be sleeping in bed."

Jisoo grinned as she paced forward. Her eyes trailed over Jennie's outfit which included grey sweatpants and a dark band-tee. The name, ' _The Strokes_ ,' was written in bold letters across her front. Jisoo sighed into Jennie's touch as they embraced, inhaling the fresh scent of Jennie's shampoo from her long raven hair, and soon the memories of Jisoo's previous worries ceased to exist. She hummed as Jennie rubbed circles on her back and spoke into her shoulder. "Tough day, huh?"

"I've had worse. All I want to do now is fall asleep in bed." A moment passed before Jennie replied.

"Babe, don't you think you're forgetting something?" Jisoo's eyes opened and darted from side to side.

"Umm... no?" She said. Jennie pulled back to look Jisoo in the eyes.

"Hello? It's your birthday, _unnie_! A girl turns 18 only once in her lifetime!" Jennie hopped a few times on her feet. Jisoo rolled her eyes before crossing her arms.

"It's still not my birthday yet, it's tomorrow— and since when did you start calling me _unnie_ again? That's too formal."

Jennie pointed to their clock on the wall. "It is tomorrow,' she said, 'it's just past midnight!"

"Oh... would you look at that," Jisoo remarked as she checked the hands on the clock. A soundless gasp elicited from her, however, as Jennie's arms wrapped at Jisoo's neck and she's attacked with kisses all over.

"Happy...' a kiss on Jisoo's right cheek, 'Birth...' a kiss on the left cheek, 'day...' another on the forehead, 'to...' one more on the tip of her nose, 'you!" Jisoo giggled as Jennie's lips finally met hers, it then became deepened by each other's passion. They moved back and forth in their kiss while holding each other flushed tight. After a couple of seconds, Jennie broke the kiss with warm cheeks and spoke quietly. "Happy birthday baby. I love you." Jisoo's eyes trailed on the floor under her intense gaze.

"Thank you, my little Jendeukie. I love you too."

After some more making out between the lovers, Jisoo zipped down her coat before peeling off her boots at the door. She walked to her room to change into a comfortable pair of pyjamas. Honestly, it should be called 'their' room since Jennie got into the habit of sleeping with Jisoo long before they were officially dating. They've been best friends for a few years now. In fact, only three days after meeting each other for the first time did the two trainees spend a day together at the public bathhouse. Jisoo and Jennie saw each other naked and talked about their dreams as well as life in general... only a few people are ever so lucky to click with another soul like that. Jisoo thanks the heavens every day for meeting a girl like Jennie, and it didn't take long before she fell in love either. It was terrifying for Jisoo to confess her feelings to her new best friend, she feared ruining their relationship, but Jennie surprised her back by confessing she felt the same. Years have passed now, yet Jisoo still finds those same butterflies in her stomach every once in a while when Jennie walks in the room.

As Jisoo finished changing and removing her makeup, Jennie found a comfortable position on the couch in an attempt to be as natural as possible. She turned on their small T.V and flipped through the channels until finding one showing a favourite drama of hers. Out of the corner of Jennie's eye, she saw that Jisoo had come back wearing an outfit similar to hers. Jisoo grinned when their eyes met and sat down beside Jennie. She rested her head on the younger girl's shoulder and curled her legs to her chest while relaxing on the couch. "Oh, I don't think I've seen this episode yet..." Jisoo remarked. Jennie furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yes you have. We watched it together, remember? It's the one where he carries the girl out of an angry mob before taking care of her at his house."

"Oh right...' Jisoo exclaimed. 'That's romantic." A smirk settled on Jennie's lips.

"Speaking of romantic things...' she reached into her pocket faced opposite side of Jisoo and pulled out a small box adorned with white ribbon wrapped in a bow. 'This is for you, my love. Happy birthday." Jisoo's eyes widened at the gift in Jennie's hands.

"Oh! I... you didn't have to get me anything."

"But I did.' Jennie replied. 'I know you don't care much for your birthday but I do. I care about it a lot. If it weren't for this special day, how else would I have met the love of my life?" Jisoo couldn't help but blush furiously from Jennie's heartfelt words. That warm fuzzy feeling in her chest swelled up like a balloon.

"Thank you." She said, but Jennie pushed the gift into the latter's hands.

"Don't thank me already, you haven't even opened it yet!"

Jisoo's smile reached her eyes as she focused on unwrapping the small ribbon. She pulled it like a string and the bow came undone before opening the lid. "Oh...' she quietly said as she scanned the object inside; it was a ring. Suddenly an alerting thought came to Jisoo's mind. 'Is this... are you asking me to—"

"Hm? Oh! No, it's not a marriage proposal Chu. Don't pass out on me now.' Jennie laughed at Jisoo's widened eyes, then she picked up the ring and held it close for inspection. 'Here, you see what these letters say?"

"Yeah, JJ and J." Jisoo read.

"Exactly, _Jennie_ Ruby- _Jane_ and _Jisoo_. These are our initials with a heart on the side. And if you look over here, this is an infinity sign. It symbolizes our everlasting love." Jennie reached into the small box again and pulled out a silver chain, something Jisoo didn't notice was there before. The younger girl put one end of the chain through the ring so it could hang before she wrapped the newfound necklace at Jisoo's neck. "And as long as you have this on... you'll be reminded of my promise to always love and be with you." Jennie attached the ends of the necklace before she moved back. Jisoo looked down and held the ring with delicate hands, almost scared as if it would disintegrate from her touch. The tip of her thumb grazed the ring's indents.

Jisoo was not one to cry, definitely not over little materialistic things like this. Ever since Jennie came along, however, she found herself getting teary-eyed more easily, especially when the younger girl went out of her way to be a total romantic. Jisoo felt that familiar burning feeling in her throat. Not long after did a lump form there too. Tears began to water her eyes and she blinked them away before glancing up. It was Jennie's adorable gummy smile and expressive doe-like eyes that caused the waterworks to burst from Jisoo. Jennie cooed at her girlfriend and pulled her in for a hug. "It's okay baby,' she whispered. 'I love you. I love you more than life itself." Tiny hiccups came from Jisoo as she struggled to breathe normally.

"I-I love you too," was all Jisoo could reply with.

***

The ending credits of their favourite drama rolled out as Jisoo decided to finally check up on Jennie. She peered over her lap to see that the younger girl had fallen asleep with her head on it, her eyes were closed and a small sigh escaped her lips. It seems that Jennie truly was tired after all, despite her reassurances of being "wide awake!"

The edges of Jisoo's mouth tilted upwards as she admired her girlfriend's features: perfectly shaped eyebrows with a few stray hairs (Jennie said she needed to get them shaped soon), pretty feline-like eyes (Jisoo swore that her girlfriend had one of the prettiest eye shapes in the world), cute button nose (boop!), soft (yet very much tasty) lips, and the world's most adorable chubby cheeks (Jisoo often called them dumpling cheeks, hence how the nickname went from _mandu_ to _mandeukie_ to eventually becoming _jendeukie_ ). Jisoo pondered whether to wake Jennie up again as she curled the younger girl's hair behind her ear. They needed to get to bed anyway.

" _Jagiya_? It's getting late, time for us to go to bed." Jisoo gently shook her girlfriend until she stirred and opened her eyes. Jennie lazily glanced around until her gaze came into focus on Jisoo's face.

"Mm? Oh... yeah, let's go." Jennie responded. She lifted her head from the older girl's lap and rubbed her tired eyes again. Jisoo picked up the remote and turned off the T.V, then she stood to stretch her arms. When Jisoo turned back around, she chuckled seeing Jennie's tired head tilting off to one side.

"Come on now, let's get your sleepy-ass into bed." Jisoo pulled Jennie up by the arms and burst into more laughter as the younger girl's head slumped on her shoulder.

"Carry me..." Jennie's baby voice rang out.

"Okay, okay," Jisoo replied. She turned around and bent down so Jennie could wrap her arms around Jisoo's shoulders. The older girl gripped the younger's legs and stood up straight again. "Is that better?" Jisoo asked as she walked down the hallway to their room. Another chuckle elicited from her mouth when Jennie hummed in agreement. After opening the door, Jisoo carried her sleepy girlfriend inside and slowly settled her on the bed. Jisoo pulled the blanket from underneath Jennie and brought it over to keep her warm. The older girl leaned down to give the younger a kiss on the forehead, then whispered, "goodnight baby girl." Jennie was too deep in her slumber to reply, so all Jisoo heard was a slurred mumble of words. She smiled because it was okay. It was more than okay, Jennie was here with her and always will be.

As Jisoo straightened to walk to her side of the bed, however, a buzz was felt in her pocket. She pulled out her phone to check the notifications. Jisoo blinked and narrowed her eyes.

***Two Missed Calls***

**Jin: Where the hell are you?**

**Call me back right now!**


	2. Prologue II

The sound of multiple shrill rings nearby caused Jennie to stir awake. Her breath hitched as she opened her eyes to the ceiling above. Nobody bothered to turn off the lamp on the nightstand, so the room was dimly lit. Jennie turned her head to check her right side for Jisoo, but she wasn't there. With narrowed eyes, Jennie flipped over to the left and reached for her ringing phone. "H-Hello?" She answered while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. A panicked voice replied on the other end.

"Jennie-ah! Can you hear me?" It took a moment for Jennie to realize who the caller was.

"Oh... Jin- _oppa_? Is that you? Wh-what time is it?" Jennie's heart skipped a beat as she heard some commotion from Jin's end. People screaming and the distant sound of shattering glass.

"Listen to me, Jennie-ah. I don't have much time. I need you to get my sister on the phone, okay? There's something going—" Jin's voice was cut off. Jennie called his name a few more times, asking if he was there, but silence ensued.

"That was weird..." Jennie remarked as she moved to sit straight up. She tapped around on her phone some more, checking the ungodly hour that her girlfriend's brother decided to call at. "It's three in the fucking morning. He's insane." Jennie glanced over again to Jisoo's side and wondered where her girlfriend could be. She decided to get up from bed and search, Jin needed to speak with Jisoo anyway.

Jennie walked into the hallway. "Babe?" She called as she roamed around, sticking her head into each room. Something wasn't right. The hallway light was on but Jisoo was nowhere to be found. Jennie paused for a second as her ears perked up, the place was quiet, or so she thought. Somebody was talking in the living room. Jennie crossed her arms over her chest, feeling her rising heart beat. The living room area was mostly dark if not for the television being on. Light from the small screen casted lengthy shadows along the walls. Jennie's bare feet silently walked along the carpeted floor as she moved into the living room. She realized the person talking was a female news reporter on T.V. "Why is this still on?" Jennie wondered aloud. Her eyes narrowed as she got closer to the screen.

The female news reporter was standing on a sidewalk in a downtown street. Behind her was a wall of armed high-security guards and even further behind seemed to be a vehicle wreckage. Written in bold letters on the bottom left of the screen was the word: LIVE.

"— at least 45 people were on the bus. Our sources indicate the driver was indeed infected with the recently mutated strain of Cordyceps fungus."

"That's not too far from here..." Jennie muttered. She did remember hearing talk of a discovered virus. Not much information was given by the authorities, and even then, the cases were rare. Now it seemed that the virus had mutated, and by the looks of it, became more infectious.

"Further investigation is ongoing to find out how the bus's driver had even _caught_ this strain when it was _supposed_ to be contained..." the reporter was cut off from speaking when a fire started in the background. Everyone in the crowd began to back up and panicked voices raised.

"Everyone needs to back up now. MOVE!" One armed male guard could be seen roughly pushing the crowd, especially the said female news reporter.

"Oh, wait. I—" the reporter stumbled on her heels and moved closer to the camera. Blood curdling screams were heard in the background and the camera rapidly panned to the right. Jennie focused in on the screen, trying to make sense of the mayhem. People were crawling on the ground, some were sprinting and others were jumping over each other. The camera fell down to the cement and Jennie held a hand to her heart. What she witnessed was unlike anything she had ever seen before: a young man with short black hair fell right in front of the camera. True fear could be seen in his eyes as he moved to stand up again but another man fell on top of him. It was more like the said man _pounced_ on him because they then were in a tussle. Jennie gasped as the man on top actually _sunk his teeth_ into the other guy's neck. The victim screamed his heart out as blood oozed from his vitals, and that's when everything exploded. The T.V screen went blank; just a neon blue colour covering the whole thing.

The explosion could be heard through the walls of their dorm. Jennie screamed as she fell back on the couch in shock. She immediately stood again to jog to the window. Pulling the curtains aside, the skyline of Seoul could be seen. "Holy shit..." Jennie said as she watched the fire erupt from the explosion, moments later a giant gas cloud lingered in the air. The wreckage had to be about 10 blocks from where her building was. "Jisoo-yah!" Jennie called again in a panicky tone. She turned to jog to the kitchen/dining area. Again, Jisoo was nowhere to be found. "Fuck, where is she?"

A small light flashed on the corner of the kitchen counter and Jennie saw that it was her girlfriend's phone. The device vibrated a few times as she went to pick it up. An array of notifications popped up as Jennie turned the phone on. She read each one:

***4 Missed Calls***

**(1:34 AM) Jin: Mom's gone! You've gotta get here.**

**(1:40 AM) Jin: Hello???**

**(1:41 AM) Jin: Pick ur fucking phone up!**

**(2:37 AM) Jin: On my way**

Jennie gulped as she scrolled through. Worst case scenarios began to pop in her head and worried thoughts ran wild. She wondered if... no, Jisoo wouldn't be on that bus. That doesn't mean she couldn't have been _near_ the explosion though. Even worse, near that crazy man who went cannibalistic. Jennie gripped the edge of the counter to stabilize herself. She leaned over and rubbed her temples with pointed fingers.

All the signs were pointing to one goddamned conclusion. The recent talks of a virus and a mutated strain. Jin's absurd call in the middle of the night with commotion going on in the background. Jisoo nowhere to be found. Armed military in the streets. Finally, the crazy cannibal who went ham on an innocent man. Jennie shut her eyes tight. She prayed for it all to be a nightmare, that she would wake up soon from this and be in Jisoo's arms.

Jennie raised her head again while the image of her girlfriend remained in memory. "Jisoo..." she whispered. Her eyebrows furrowed while a frown crossed her lips. Jennie needed to go find her lover no matter what. She wasn't sure where she was going to look or how she was going to get there, but Jennie knew she needed to try. The raven-haired girl vowed to not rest tonight until Jisoo was safe in her arms again.

***

Jennie watched as the number of floor levels decreased in the elevator. Impatiently tapping her foot on the floor, her heart lurched against her ribcage. Jennie was a well known trainee under an entertainment company. She wasn't supposed to leave the premises without notifying her manager first, especially in the middle of the night like this. The sixteen year old didn't even know where to begin looking for her girlfriend but knew that Jisoo's parent's house would have been a good place to start. Jennie did try messaging and calling Jin a few times again, however, he didn't answer. No matter, Jennie was going to find Jisoo on her own.

The elevator was almost at ground level. With her left hand, Jennie pulled the hood of her black winter coat overhead. She needed not to be recognized. A backpack was slung on Jennie's shoulders that contained extra pairs of clothes, snacks such as energy bars, a water bottle, her wallet, and a small baseball bat that she and Jisoo kept in the dorm just in case of burglars. Jennie didn't know what else to bring, everything felt surreal. For a moment, she wondered if she should have just stayed in the dorm, but that's when the elevator doors opened.

Jennie didn't have to worry about being recognized tonight. There was nobody around. No security guards by the doors, no receptionists at the front desk, and not a single colleague of hers roaming the area. The main floor was eerily quiet. Jennie's head turned from side to side as she walked to the main doors, scanning the area for a soul to be found. The heels of her sneakers tapped the floor as she made her way down a few steps. Jennie looked in front of her again, and her heart almost stopped.

A middle aged man stood outside in front of the main doors. He was faced looking in, staring right at Jennie. She could have kept going on her way but instead became uneasy. The man wouldn't break eye contact. He wasn't wearing any warm clothing, just a torn white dress shirt and dark pants. Jennie thought he must have been freezing out in this January winter like that. His hair was ruffled and some parts spiked out. The young trainee couldn't help herself but to focus in on his face; red veiny eyes pierced her with its gaze. While holding her breath, Jennie attempted to slowly pull off her backpack for the one weapon she owned. As soon as she lifted her hands, however, the man let out a deep growl and glared.

Jennie gasped and backed up as the man rammed his body against the glass door. The impact knocked his body to the ground but he immediately stood again. There was something almost _feral_ about this man, he looked at her like an animal hunting its prey. Jennie kept backing up on her feet as the crazy guy repeatedly beat himself against the main doors. "Bat... Bat!" She called to remind her terrified self. Jennie ripped the backpack from her shoulders and bent to pull the zipper. "Fuck, fuck, fuck—" she had trouble with opening the pack. Her hands shook with fear while she managed the zip. Cracks in the glass from the main doors could be heard ahead. Just as Jennie pulled the baseball bat free, the one barrier she had against this threat shattered and in came the looming predator.

The man screamed a feral cry as he sprinted inside, aiming straight for Jennie. She stood straight and brought the weapon back to swing with all her might. As soon as he was within range, Jennie connected the end of her bat with his head, and down he went to the floor. His screams hurt Jennie's ears. "Shit!" She yelled as she grabbed her backpack and bolted for the exit. The door was almost opened too if not for the psycho pouncing from behind. Jennie fell to the floor face-first while her bat rolled away. She screamed as she wriggled under his weight, trying to avoid his attempts at biting down. A mixture of saliva and blood drooled from the man's mouth as he growled in Jennie's face. It finally occurred to her that this animal wanted to _eat_ her alive.

"Jennie-ah!" A woman's voice called. The man glanced up at the noise and got his head blown back by a bullet. Jennie shut her eyes and cried out loud at the deafening noise. Her body writhed as she scrambled away until coming into contact with another. The woman held her by the shoulders and called her name repeatedly.

"It's me—it's me!" Jisoo came into focus and Jennie's vision blurred with tears.

"Jisoo..." she mumbled as she cried. Jisoo sighed and pulled the younger girl in for a hug.

"Oh baby girl, it's okay. I've got you. You're safe baby, I got you." Jisoo assured Jennie while holding her tight. The older girl moved back and dried her girlfriend's tears with the pads of her thumbs. "He didn't get you right? You don't have any bites?" Jisoo asked while inspecting the latter all over.

"No! He didn't. What the hell is going on? Where have you— is that _blood_ on your shirt?" Jennie's eyes widened at the red stain on Jisoo's t-shirt underneath her coat.

"Yes but it's not mine. Listen Jennie-ah, there is something bad going on. Like, really bad. We need to get out of the city as quickly as possible. Do you understand?"

Jennie trembled as she nodded her head. "Y-yeah..." she replied. Fast paced footsteps of another individual was heard as it got louder.

"Jisoo-yah! We gotta leave, now!" Both girls turned their heads to Jin as he got closer. He didn't look too good either; his brunette hair was ruffled and dark bags were under his eyes. Jisoo nodded her head and stood straight up, pulling Jennie along with her.

"Come on babe, we need to go."

The three survivors jogged into the chaotic streets of Seoul. Jin was in the lead holding a pistol with Jisoo right behind, she held the baseball bat with her right hand while the other gripped Jennie's. "We just have to get to my car!" Jin yelled over the commotion. People were running in all directions around them. Jennie gasped as she looked behind; two cars collided at the end of the block and another came crashing in from behind. Jisoo yanked Jennie's arm closer.

"Stick close to me!" She demanded. The parking lot on the side of their building came into view and they ran to it. Jin's black 4x4 Jeep Wrangler was one of the last cars on the other end. As they hurried to reach the car, Jennie glanced above and noticed the light snowfall in the dark sky. She wondered how so much could change in just one night.

The Jeep Wrangler beeped as Jin pressed a button from his car keys. They all entered the vehicle. Jin and Jisoo in front while Jennie sat in the back, but that's when two people came rushing nearby. A man and a woman who seemed like a young couple. "Please, you've gotta help us!' The man called. 'We have a child!" Jin narrowed his eyes but then eased when he noticed a little boy behind the young couple.

"What are you doing?' Jisoo hissed at her older brother. 'Fucking drive!"

"Jisoo-yah, they have a kid." Jin retorted. The woman with the man could be heard calling out to the group as well but they were in the middle of an argument.

"And we're all kids here ourselves! We don't know these people, they could be sick!"

"We don't know that. It's not like they're trying to eat anyone!"

"He's right babe,' Jennie pitched in. 'We have some room so let's just—" the banter stopped when horror began to unfold ahead. About four of those crazed lunatics came sprinting in from the car's right side. The couple screamed as they turned to run but soon were caught.

"Oh my god..." Jin muttered under his breath. Three of the monsters attacked the man and woman, bringing them down and devouring any inch of skin they could. The fourth went for the young boy who had a good hindsight to make a run for it. He wouldn't make it far though.

"Get us out of here!" Jisoo yelled as two of the lunatics spotted them in the vehicle. The engine of Jin's car roared to life, he shifted its setting from _Park_ to _Drive_ and hit the gas. Light shined upon the lunatics and they went insane. They came sprinting towards the vehicle as it lurched forward. A female one that was closest got slammed and run over, her high pitched screams sent shivers down Jennie's spine. Jin drove out onto the street and weaved through the mayhem. "Okay,' Jisoo's shaken tone spoke. 'We just need to get out of this area and we should be good from there. Take the bridge to cross—"

"Yangwha Bridge to cross the Han River, that's where I'm headed." Jin interrupted. Jennie glanced between the two siblings, noticing the obvious tension. She decided to clear it.

"Can we hear what's on the radio?"

"Yeah, sure.' Jin reached to turn it on but there wasn't anything playing. The radio was silent. 'Great. No T.V, no radio, oh we're doing just fine." He remarked as they turned onto another street.

"Where are we heading to?" Jennie asked. Jisoo turned in her seat towards the younger girl to reply.

"We'll head to my parent's house in Sanbon-dong. We need a place to stay at."

"Are your parent's there?"

The siblings exchanged a glance. "No. They're gone." Jisoo's firm tone made everyone in the car go silent. Jin turned again and all three of them let out silent gasps. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Jisoo said as she leaned forward to check the scene.

It seemed that everyone and their mother had the same idea. At least a hundred vehicles were lined up ahead on the bridge in a giant traffic jam. Nobody was moving forward and neither was anyone coming back. A few helicopters flew above in the sky, shining their bright spotlights on the ground. Jin slowed the car down and came to a stop behind all of it. "Maybe we should back up..." Jennie suggested. A driver from the vehicle in front of them stepped out of his car, he began yelling.

"Hey what the fuck man, let's go!" The man raised his arms wildly as he marched forward. What he didn't notice, however, was the few figures darting from the side leaping to attack. Jennie's heart lurched against her chest as she watched the man's body slam into the side of his car. He let out a groan while his body crumpled to the ground. Another monster lunged in his vehicle for the people inside, their blood curdling screams filled the air.

"Jin-ah...' Jisoo gripped her brother's arm. One of the crazed man-eaters straightened up again while facing them and Jisoo lost it. 'KIM SEOKJIN, BACK UP NOW!" Jin shifted the handle from _Drive_ to _Reverse_ and hit the gas again.

"Hold on!" He called while looking behind. Their vehicle sped backwards and came to a sharp left turn. Jin slammed on the breaks and Jennie almost went flying out of her seat. She cursed loudly and screamed when a body rammed against her window. Jin shifted back to _Drive_ and the car moved forward. Dark blood stained the window on Jennie's left side. She stared wide-eyed and turned her body to observe behind, the monsters were still running after them even as the distance became greater.

Everyone breathed hard as the car drove on. "Are they s-still after us?" Jisoo asked while glancing at the rearview mirror.

"No... I think we're good now." Jennie replied quietly.

"We're not good for long,' Jin remarked. 'Why the fuck are all these people on the streets?" Jennie turned back around in her seat to see. A whole crowd of people were on the road, and further on could be seen a couple vehicles left vacant that blocked the road.

"Turn here, we'll just circle around them." Jisoo pointed to the next intersection and her brother obliged. Jin turned the steering wheel until a bright light blinded everything.

"WATCH IT!" Jennie cried, but it was too late. A truck slammed into their car's side and sent everything flipping over. Jennie shut her eyes tight. Direction and gravity lost all meaning as her dark world spun in circles.


	3. Prologue III

A thumping headache greeted Jennie's senses as she regained consciousness. She opened her eyes and groaned. Nothing was making sense, the car seats were above Jennie. She glanced over to her side to see Jisoo slowly moving too. The girl had a bit of blood coming from a cut on her forehead. "Jisoo-yah..." Jennie called out. She reached for her girlfriend but Jisoo shook her head.

"Stay back baby... stay back." Jisoo moved to kick the already cracked windshield. It took her a few tries but she eventually broke the glass. Jisoo crawled out of the wreckage first and stood up. She jumped back, however, as a dark figure lunged to her face. Jin was quicker. He struck the sharp corner of a brick into the monster's skull. A sickening blow was heard and down the man-eater went. Jisoo stared at her brother wide-eyed for a moment but then remembered her girlfriend still stuck in the car. She turned and bent to help Jennie out. "Come on. Watch your hands here, there's sharp glass.' Jisoo pulled the younger girl up by the arms but paused when Jennie winced. 'What's wrong?"

"It's my leg,' Jennie explained while attempting to put weight on it, however, she ended up wincing even more. 'It hurts like hell."

"You can't walk on it?"

"Guys...' Jin began to back up as he watched behind their car. 'We're gonna need to run!" Jisoo glanced ahead and saw more lunatics coming. She swore under her breath and quickly weighed her options. Jin could carry Jennie but that would mean Jisoo would have to protect them with the gun. Her brother, however, was a much better shot. Jisoo turned and squatted her legs.

"Get on my back, Jennie-ah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! We don't have time." Jennie wrapped her arms around Jisoo's neck and the latter stood to carry her like they've always done. She adjusted Jennie's weight with her own and turned to Jin. "You keep us safe with that gun." With a nod, he held the pistol ready.

The group was on foot again as they ran on the street. How long they moved for was unknown, it felt long but also short because of the adrenaline coursing through their veins. The looming threat of those cannibals behind were what kept them going, especially Jisoo who felt a strain in her leg muscles. Cold winter wind blew in their faces but did nothing to help the continuous sweating. Jisoo stopped in her tracks when a young woman in front of her got taken out by another lunatic, the scene was horrific. The woman screamed bloody murder as she was torn apart limb by limb and eaten alive. "Fuck, come on!" Jin pulled on Jisoo by her elbow and she finally tore her eyes away. Jennie began crying, her tears stained Jisoo's shoulder.

"Don't look up Jennie-ah, okay? Keep your eyes shut and hold tight." Jisoo assured her girlfriend. She knew how much Jennie hated scary things and wondered how it even took this long before her girlfriend started crying.

A gas station was up ahead on the left, but not for long because it blew up. The impact sent shockwaves and shook the ground beneath their feet. Cold night air all of a sudden became blasting heat. "Through here!" Jin called, he ran into an alleyway on their right. Jisoo quickly adjusted Jennie on her back again and followed her brother. She pushed through a few people stumbling by and entered the narrow path between two buildings.

"I don't like this..." Jisoo muttered. The streetlights didn't reach this area so the group could only count on the moonlight casting from above. As distance was put between them and the street, the atmosphere became quieter. Screaming from the chaos grew faint in comparison to the sound of their footsteps and paced breath. Jin rounded a corner to the left and Jisoo followed. She yelped as something grabbed her ankle and snarled from below. Jisoo backed away to pull her leg free. Jin noticed and ran back, he brought his pistol to the lunatic's face and fired. Blood bursted from behind its head. Jennie held a hand to her mouth to stop herself from gagging. She caught a glimpse of inside its skull where the brain was cut open.

The sound of the gunshot drew in more predators. "Let's go!" Jin called over their yelling. Jisoo focused her gaze on where her brother was heading but it grew tough as she noticed the man-eaters climbing over fences and dumpsters to reach them. "Turn here!" They entered the outside patio of a restaurant. White clothed tables with leftover plates of food and broken cups of glass were set around. Above their heads were small lights stringed in patterns for decoration. Jin hopped up onto the deck and burst through the back door, he held his gun out for any threats. The lunatics were gaining on Jisoo and Jennie, their yelling growing louder and louder. One of them made a grab for Jennie as the girls entered the restaurant but Jin shoved the door back hard. Multiple arms got stuck in between the wooden door and its frame, so Jin had to keep pushing to keep them from getting in. He cursed loudly as he struggled against their strength.

Jisoo scanned the area and found the main entrance doors further ahead. She turned to see her brother still pushing on the door. Jin looked at her. "You have to keep going!" He called.

"What?' Jisoo replied. 'No, I'm not leaving you!"

"You have to. Jennie's leg is broken and I'm the only one that can handle a gun!' Jin retorted, the predators outside pushed harder against him. 'I'll be fine, I can handle myself. Just go!" Jisoo grimaced as she felt pain in her chest. She had already lost so many people tonight, the last thing she needed was to lose her brother too.

"Fuck... I will come back for you!"

"GO!"

Tears blurred Jisoo's vision as she burst out the restaurant's front doors. Jennie was wailing by this point. "It's okay, Jennie-ah. He'll make it. We'll make it." Jisoo assured her again, but it felt like she was trying to convince herself too. Further up ahead was a large forest. Jisoo knew that if they managed to get past it, they'd be out of the area and away from all the mayhem of the city. She rushed to the entrance of the forest, growing footsteps and growls could be heard from behind.

"They're getting closer!" Jennie yelled and Jisoo huffed. Her body had the advantage of being physically fit because of how much activity they do daily as trainees — dancing, working out, and performing — but by now her lungs were on fire. They had been running for a long time. This last stretch was a mental push more than anything else as Jisoo forced herself to sprint hard. Twigs, branches, and leaves crunched beneath her shoes as she weaved through the trees. Moonlight casted between the cracks in the forest ceiling above and provided the only solace in this dark night. After what seemed like forever, an opening was finally spotted ahead.

Jisoo jogged out of the forest and was suddenly met with a direct bright light. She tripped over her own foot and fell to her knees. Gunfire of an assault rifle ripped through the air as both girls screamed and cowered. Jisoo glanced back to see the few lunatics that were following them fall to the grass. She faced ahead again and saw a man dressed in army uniform holding the rifle. Relief washed over for the girls. Jisoo crawled to Jennie and helped pull her up. "Baby, it's okay now. We're safe. The army is here." She whispered to the younger girl. They stood on their feet with Jennie's arm wrapped around Jisoo's shoulders for support.

"Hey,' Jisoo called to the soldier. 'You've gotta help us."

"Stop!" He yelled in an authoritative tone. Jisoo kept pushing.

"It's my girlfriend's leg. I think it's broken—"

"Stop right there!" Both girls stopped moving when his weapon aimed directly at them. Jisoo gulped and Jennie tried to stay as still as she could.

"Okay... we-we're not s-sick..." Jisoo stuttered to the man. She noticed a scruffy looking beard on his face.

"Don't move.' He said, then picked up his walkie-talkie and spoke through. 'Captain, we've got a few citizens in the outer perimeter here. Please be advised." A moment passed before another man's voice answered his call.

"What about Jin- _oppa_?" Jennie whispered to Jisoo as the soldier conversed with his captain.

"It's okay. We'll come back for him later..." The older girl assured the younger. They didn't hear what the soldier was saying.

"But sir, they're just young teenage girls... I—' the soldier sighed to himself. 'Yes sir." He placed his walkie-talkie back in his uniform pocket and marched forward. Jisoo faced him again.

"Look, you've gotta help us. Her leg is broken and my older brother's still in—' The soldier aimed his gun at them again. Something dropped from Jisoo's chest to the pit of her stomach. She realized what was about to happen exactly one moment before Jennie did. 'Oh shit..." Jisoo backed up and shoved her girlfriend's body hard in an attempt to save her.

Bullets sprayed, ripping through the interrupted silence as both girls fell to the hard ground and rolled. Jisoo gasped and choked on her own spit. Her ears were ringing from the noise. When she opened her eyes to see the starry skies above, the soldier's flashlight blinded them. It seems like he came to finish the job. "No. Please don't..." Jisoo begged. Out of all the ways she could have died tonight, this situation right now was never one that crossed her mind. Jisoo pleaded with her eyes but noticed that the man above hers was cold and unforgiving.

No, he wasn't a man to Jisoo anymore. He was no better than those monsters on the streets.

A shot was fired but it wasn't Jisoo who was hit. Instead, the soldier crumpled to the ground. Blood gushed from his head and his eyes stayed open. Tears streamed down Jisoo's face as she gasped and realized she was still alive. She straightened up to see her older brother, Jin, standing nearby with his pistol in hand. Jin nodded and gave a hint of a smile, but that smile quickly dropped when his eyes glanced further ahead.

"Oh no..." he uttered. Jisoo narrowed her eyes and turned to where her brother was looking. Her heart rammed against her ribcage and shattered into a thousand pieces.

"NO!" Jisoo screamed. She flipped over and crawled to Jennie's shaking body.

Blood. There was blood everywhere.

"Jennie-ah! Listen to me. You're gonna be alright, okay? We just have to—' Jisoo applied pressure with her hands to the gunshot wound on Jennie's stomach, then attempted to lift the girl. Jennie screamed in writhing pain. 'I know, baby! I know it hurts. But you just have to bare with it, okay? We're gonna get out of this. I promise you, we will." Jisoo's hands trembled as she noticed the blood from Jennie's gut turning into a pool. Jin slowly approached the girls. With a disheartened look, he fell to his knees in front of them.

"Jin-ah, help me lift her!' Jisoo cried. 'Come on! What the fuck are you waiting for?" Hot tears streamed down Jin's cold face. He choked and began to cry.

"Soo..." he murmured. Jisoo's eyes widened. Jin only called her that nickname whenever he was about to give some bad news or have a serious chat. It was meant as a way to soften the blow. However, nothing could ease how Jisoo felt when she looked back down at Jennie. Her lover had stopped struggling. She laid lifeless in Jisoo's arms, eyes still open, but soul-less.

"Baby?' Jisoo gasped. Disbelief was written all over her mind. 'Oh no... no, no, no. Please don't do this, Jennie-ah. Don't do this. Please don't leave me... please...' Jisoo repeatedly ran her fingers through Jennie's hair, pushing it back from her eyes.She burst into tears and began to cry more than she had ever in her entire life. 'Please-please, oh god!"

Blood and tears were all over Jisoo's face and hands tonight. She stayed there with the love of her life in her arms, begging Jennie to stay for ages as the night's snowfall built on the cold ground around them. Jisoo begged and begged, crying harder and harder until she felt numb. She didn't know if it was from the freezing temperature or the feeling within. However, one thing became certain in Jisoo's mind: Jennie was never going to come back, therefore she will never find love again.


	4. Interlude

_The number of confirmed deaths in the country has passed two hundred. The president of the Blue House has called a state of emergency..._

_  
All means of international travel and transportation of unnecessary goods have been halted..._

_At least hundreds and hundreds of bodies line the streets..._

_Panic is spreading worldwide after a leaked report from the World Health Organization has shown that the latest vaccination tests have failed..._

_Daegu is now the latest city to be placed under martial law..._

_All citizens are required to report to their designated quarantine..._

_Riots have continued for a third consecutive day and winter rations are at an all time low..._

_The border between North and South Korea has fallen, both governments have agreed on converging territory and cooperation as one state..._

_A group calling themselves 'Red Redemption' have claimed responsibility for both attacks..._

_Their public charter calls for the return of South Korea's government, separate from the influence of North Korea..._

_  
Demonstrations broke out following the execution of six more alleged Reds'..._

_"You can still rise with us. Remember, when you're lost in the darkness... look for the light. Believe in the redemption of the Red."_


	5. I - Busan’s Quarantine Zone

**SUMMER - 8 YEARS LATER**

All is quiet except for the mumbling of a sleeping figure in bed. They're restless, turning their head from side to side, caught in another recurring nightmare.

A fist hammers on the apartment door and Jisoo wakes with a start. She feels her heart lurch against her chest before slowly coming down to its regular pace. Jisoo gets up on one elbow and breathes deeply, only to be interrupted by another knock on the door. The young woman rubs the sleep from her eyes and rises from bed. She walks out of her bedroom into the living room/kitchen area, squinting her eyes at the daylight coming through the window.

"I'm coming!" Jisoo yells, frowning because she already knows who it is. She opens the door to see the smug look on her partner's face. With both hands in the front pockets of her dark ripped jeans, the young woman waits for Jisoo to scoff and step aside to let her in.

"You look pretty today,' she remarks as if she wasn't just being extremely rude. 'How was your morning?"

Jisoo shakes her head and shuts the door before locking it. She follows behind, watching the latter take a swig from a bottle of whiskey on their coffee table. Jisoo furrows her eyebrows and crosses her arms; it's too early in the day for any drinking.

"Want some?"

"No. I don't... want some."

"Hm, well... I've got some interesting news for you—"

"Where the hell were you, Roseanne?" Jisoo raises her tone at the partner she's been with for years. The same woman who saved her in a time of need and therefore placed an impossible debt on Jisoo's head. Roseanne proved her worth as a survivor over their shared time, and eventually, became someone Jisoo could trust. It was better that way. For too long had Jisoo felt the need to constantly be on guard. It helped immensely to have someone looking out for her, someone to fit her unmet needs. However, that's all that Roseanne was and would be to Jisoo; a partner, a fuck-buddy... it's all relative.

Anybody else would have been defensive or frightened from Jisoo's harsh tone, but Roseanne isn't one of them. She chuckles and places the bottle down. Running a hand through her long and wavy dirty-blonde hair, Roseanne saunters to the kitchen area. "West-end district,' she says nonchalantly while hopping on a countertop. 'Hey, we had a drop to make."

" _We_. We had a drop to make, not just you by yourself." Jisoo retorts as she moves to where Roseanne sits.

"Yeah well, you wanted to be left alone, remember?"

The tension in Jisoo's face eases as she remembers their conversation in the early morning. It's a miracle that Roseanne had listened to her this time around.

Jisoo notices the cuts on Roseanne's forehead and cheek. Bloodstains on her skin, it's just beginning to dry. She pulls a white towel cloth from its rack and hands it over for Roseanne to use. "So I'll take a little guess here that the whole deal went south, and the client made off with our pills?' Jisoo asks. 'Does that sound about right?" Roseanne laughs and rolls her eyes.

"You gotta give me more credit than that, hun. Deal went off without a hitch.' Roseanne reaches into her back pocket. 'Got us enough ration cards here to last a couple of months — easy." She places them down on her right. Jisoo leans back on the counter opposite Roseanne while narrowing her eyes, then makes a gesture to her face.

"And... you wanna explain all this?"

Roseanne places the cloth down, the smirk fading from her face. "I was on my way back here and I got jumped by these two assholes, alright?" Jisoo straightens up and furrows her eyebrows while Roseanne keeps her gaze on the floor. "I mean yeah, they got a few good hits in but..." she trails off as she notices Jisoo's frown growing deeper. "Look, I managed!"

Jisoo places her hands on her hips. With an exasperated sigh, she snatches the cloth from Roseanne's hand. "Gimme that." Jisoo lifts the latter's chin and carefully dabs at her cuts. Roseanne keeps her eyes low. After a moment, Jisoo speaks again. "So, are these assholes still with us?" Something about the situation makes Roseanne smile.

"Now that's funny,' she remarks.

"Did you at least find out who they were?"

Roseanne grabs Jisoo's wrist to catch her attention. "No — look, they were a couple of nobodies. What matters here is that _RM_ fucking sent them." Roseanne watches the burst of red in Jisoo's dangerous eyes. The woman takes a step back to gather her bearings.

"Our RM?" Jisoo asks, her tone turning harsh again.

"He knows that we're after him. He figures that he'll get us first."

Jisoo turns on her heel and chucks the towel cloth on the counter. "That son of a bitch...' she mutters. 'He's smart."

"No. Not smart enough. I know where he's hiding." Roseanne replies. The other woman turns to face her again.

"Like hell you do..."

Roseanne lifts herself from the counter, hops to the floor, and inches closer. "Old warehouse in area five..." she presses her lips to Jisoo's for a small kiss. Roseanne pulls back to place her hands behind her back, then tilts her head to the side. "Can't say for how long, though."

"Well, I'm ready now.' Jisoo says, her voice dripping with venom. 'You?"

"Oh, I can do now," Roseanne replies in the same manner. She turns and follows a smouldering Jisoo out of their apartment door.

***

The smell of the air is musty and humid, but nothing out of the ordinary to Jisoo and Roseanne as they walk out from an alleyway onto the streets of Busan. Posters and graffiti litter the walls of the buildings around them; Jisoo eyes a certain infamous symbol as she passes by, a red firefly that's been spray painted. As Jisoo glances above, she notices an armed soldier standing on the roof of an apartment building, supervising the area.

"Checkpoint's still open. We've only got a few hours left 'till curfew though." Roseanne states. Jisoo turns her head from the sight of _WANTED_ posters on the walls, containing black and white images of people she knew all too well.

"We better hurry up then," Jisoo replies.

A military vehicle armed with a turret drives by. Groups of soldiers on patrol march past Jisoo and Roseanne as they walk. Announcements are playing over a large speaker: " _Attention. Citizens are required to carry a current ID at all times. Compliance with all city personnel is mandatory_ —" Jisoo tunes out the rest of the repetitive message.

"Looks like the ration line hasn't opened yet. Must be running low again." Roseanne mentions. Jisoo snorts in reply; the system is about as corrupt as they are. The real reason for rations being withheld from the citizens is for the very same reason these city quarantine zones even exist; to maintain order and a right of power for the authorities. These so-called soldiers (Jisoo calls them dick-heads) abuse their power over citizens and it's always under the excuse of following the law, or, betterment for the nation of Korea. Almost anything goes; Jisoo and Roseanne watch from afar as a group of soldiers shove a couple of stragglers out the doors of an apartment complex and force them onto their knees on the sidewalk.

"Shut the fuck up and get on your knees! Hands above your head." One male soldier commands. He kicks the back of a young female straggler's leg so that she crumples onto her hands and knees, then he backs up. "Check them," comes his order. Another soldier walks forward with a small gadget in hand, she wears protective gloves. Each straggler is on their knees with their hands up and behind their head. The female soldier sticks the device to each person's neck, waiting for the beep to confirm whether the individual is infected or healthy. "I'm sick of this shit..." she mutters as she goes through each person, but that's when she reaches the second last person. Jisoo could tell something was wrong with the teenage boy from the start, he nervously glanced around and his breathing was ragged. The device gives a longer beep than usual and the female soldier frowns, she faces her group. "We've got a live one."

The young boy has about a few more seconds to live as he elbows the said soldier's leg and makes a run for it. A single bullet flies through the air from her pistol and rips the boy's skull. He collapses onto the cement and gives a little twitch, then becomes adamant. Jisoo sighs and pulls Roseanne's arm. "Let's go," she says. Nothing is out of the ordinary for Jisoo and Roseanne by this point.

Both women round a street corner before coming face to face with a military checkpoint. A steel wall topped with barbwire stands about ten feet high off the ground, it separates Area Four from Area Five. The duo reaches into their pockets for their IDs while nearing the main gates. "I'll do the talking," Jisoo whispers. A soldier standing on guard eyes them and comes forward.

"Let me see your IDs," he says. Jisoo and Roseanne hold them out for inspection. The soldier takes each card and scans through, looking for any signs of fraud. There is none so he nods and hands them back. "What's your business here?"

"We have the day off,' Jisoo answers. 'Decided to visit a friend." The soldier nods and turns to his mate.

"It's all good. Open the—" a giant blast shakes the ground and sends shockwaves of heat through the air. Jisoo curses loudly as she cowers with Roseanne. They both look ahead the bars of the main gates to see a blown-up truck and in the far distance, a few armed figures with red masks.

"Close the gates!" Someone shouts.

"It's the Reds!"

Bullets begin spraying the air and people are yelling. The soldier with Jisoo and Roseanne turns back to face them.

"Get out of here, go!"

They both back up and turn, sprinting away from the area and keeping their heads low. A loud siren blares from its speakers and continues to ring throughout the new announcement: " _Attention. Checkpoint five is now closed until further notice. All civilians must clear the surrounding area immediately._ "

"Jisoo-yah, come on!" Roseanne calls as she opens the door to their apartment complex. Together, they enter and finally catch their breath when the door is shut.

"Fuck... so much for the easy route," Jisoo mutters after a few moments. She straightens up and uses her hand to brush the dirt from her shirt. Roseanne begins walking down the hallway and Jisoo follows.

"They're gonna close all the checkpoints. Looks like we'll have to go around the outside."

"You mean outside the wall?"

"Or we could just let RM go..."

Jisoo scoffs. "That's cute."

They continue walking down the hall and turn a corner, then see a young woman practically skipping towards them. " _Unnie_! Did you see that shit?" Jisoo recognizes Roseanne's pretty friend, another girl named Somi. She wears a high ponytail in her brunette hair and a black t-shirt with blue high-waisted jeans.

"I was there," Roseanne replies. Somi walks beside her to talk while Jisoo follows closely behind. "How's the east tunnel looking?"

"Oh, it's all clear. I just used it. No patrols. Where are you guys off to?"

"We're paying RM a visit."

"Damn,' Somi chuckles. 'You too?" Roseanne raises her eyebrows.

"What do you mean? Who else is looking for him?"

"Irene- _sunbaenim_. She's been asking around, trying to find him. Pretty ballsy if you ask me."

"If anyone's got balls it's that woman... but what the hell do the Reds need with RM?"

"Beats me. You think she'd tell me anything?"

Roseanne gives Somi a side-eye. "Well... what did you tell her?" The latter shrugs her shoulders and answers.

"The truth. I don't have a single clue where he's hiding."

"That's good. I'm glad you're being smart about this. Hey,' Roseanne pauses and holds Somi's arm. 'You stay out of trouble, alright? The military's gonna be out in full force soon."

"Yes ma'am. I'll see you guys around soon." Somi waves and heads opposite direction. Roseanne nods and turns to keep walking, Jisoo matches her pace. After a couple of seconds, Roseanne breaks the silence between the two.

"Irene- _unnie_ looking for RM...' she remarks. 'What do you think of that?" Jisoo furrows her eyebrows, lost in thought.

"I don't like the sound of it. We better find him before the Reds do."


	6. II - Beyond The Wall

Roseanne and Jisoo take a breath as they crawl out from Busan's officially - unofficial east tunnel. Stragglers and Reds alike, anyone who isn't part of the military, and, actually has the guts to step foot outside the walls use these underground pathways to get in and out of the quarantine zone. The origins of these tunnels weren't quite clear to Jisoo but she is grateful for their existence anyway. They provide a means of survival; by getting out, they can scavenge for supplies in surrounding areas and bring them back for trade, therefore ensuring more ration cards, and, that they won't go hungry.

Not just anyone can parade around outside these walls though. A military-grade gas-mask is a must and owning a weapon is mandatory, because what lies outside these walls is danger in every corner. Apart from the anxiety of breaking every rule in the nation's book, (which, if caught, can result in immediate execution by the authorities) an individual has to worry about the threat of not only the infected but the people out here as well. As soon as a person steps out, they enter a world where it's every man and woman for themselves. Jisoo counts herself lucky to have a trustworthy partner like Roseanne watching her back and vice-versa.

For the longest time did Jisoo have to survive on her own. Trusting her judgement that sometimes, even she'll admit, can be wrong. However, Jisoo is living and breathing at this very moment. She's still not infected despite everything that's happened so far, and to her, that's better than the situation for most people in this godforsaken world.

Leaving the secret entrance/exit of the east tunnel (which is merely a five-foot-wide hole in the floor of a restaurant hidden by a large oak door) to the outside means that a person is still in the city of Busan but in a completely different version. A wilder version where the streets are littered with trash, buildings threaten to crumble down, and Mother Nature has taken her rightful place. The cement beneath Jisoo and Roseanne's walking feet is cracked and overrun by green vegetation. Rundown vehicles left vacant sit in random areas of what used to be the road. Further ahead lies a large crater in the earth, filled almost to the brim with rainwater built up over time. Jisoo narrows her eyes from the memories.

"I don't have many bullets left," Roseanne says as they pass around the crater.

"Better make sure your shots count then," Jisoo replies. It's true; ammunition is hard to come by as it is, but what's worse is making sure that it's hidden well from stragglers, Reds, and especially the military. Owning any type of weapon and/or ammunition on its own is illegal and will be confiscated for the military's use. So while both Roseanne and Jisoo feel light carrying backpacks with only the essentials (gas-mask, a health-kit, a bit of food plus a water bottle) and a loaded pistol in-hand, they know they're better off being safe than sorry.

The duo finally reaches the specific building they've always used before. A store that is two stories high from the ground. The only way in is from a hole on the side of the building that allows access to the second floor, while the first floor is blocked by cars and a locked door.

"Where's the ladder?" Roseanne asks while glancing around.

"It's gotta be around here somewhere." Jisoo walks in between two cars before spotting the said ladder on her left. "Ah, found it!"

"Great, bring it over."

One after the other, the ladder is used by the two to climb and enter the second floor. The place is clear and doesn't need an inspection, it contains office and meeting rooms that would've been in use in an alternative universe. Sunlight peers through the office windows and casts reflection off table surfaces and computer screens. Roseanne bends to the floor while checking underneath a swivel chair. She pulls up a silvery pendant necklace with a familiar symbol on its coin.

"One of those Reds dropped this." Roseanne remarks after inspecting the image.

"How do you know?" Jisoo asks as she checks it herself.

"Look at the symbol, it's a red firefly.' Roseanne flips the coin. 'And on the back?"

Jisoo narrows her eyes while focusing on the indentation. "Kim Yeongbin," she reads.

"Right. The person's name. It would be fun to collect these."

"Why would you collect them?"

"Because,' Roseanne explains as she places the pendant in Jisoo's hand. 'You need a hobby. Something that doesn't involve beating the shit out of infected and people alike."

Jisoo scoffs. "You're one to talk."

"I know, that's why I'll be collecting them with you." Roseanne smiles, her high ponytail sways a bit as she walks away and Jisoo finds herself staring for longer than usual. She gives her head a quick shake and follows Roseanne's trail.

"What makes you think we'll find any more of these?" Jisoo asks. They turn from the corridor into a staircase and descend two flights of stairs.

"I guess we'll see eventually," Roseanne replies. She walks through the doorway, glances to her left and pauses. "Hold up,' she brings an arm out. 'Spores." Jisoo and Roseanne's expressions turn serious as they pull out their gas-masks and wear them.

The lighting in the basement is dim. Small amounts of daylight slip through the tiny windows near the ceiling, allowing the duo to just make out what lies ahead down the hall. A thick greyish cloud of gas comes from the large doorway. White particles floating in the air which, if inhaled for long enough, is just as bad getting as getting bitten by the infected. "Shit...' Jisoo mutters. 'This place was clear last time though."

"Well, it's coming out of something. Let's keep our guard up." Roseanne says.

With her pistol ready in-hand, Jisoo takes the lead and quietly moves to the edge of the entrance while Roseanne follows behind. The air feels heavier in the cloud. It's harder to see so Jisoo turns on her flashlight that's attached to the right strap of her backpack, allowing her to view whatever is in front. Jisoo holds her breath and closes her eyes, listening for any signs of movement. All are generally quiet so she moves forward. Both women work as a team as they sweep the area and check every possible corner.

Moving from room to room (storage and office rooms) they make their way to get to the other side. This store shares a large basement with another building across, it runs underneath the road and acts as a sort of shortcut. Jisoo narrows her eyes as she notices the growing signs of infection along the walls; mushroom fungus thrives in a dark and humid place like this. They turn a corner and Jisoo finally sees where it's all coming from. "Here's our culprit," she remarks.

The carcass of what once was a human-being turned infected sits with its back against the wall. Dried blood is all over the broken skin where the Cordyceps fungi have taken over and grown. This is the initial nature of the fungus, it finds a host and spreads like an infection from the brain throughout the body to thrive. The gruesome result is deformities growing on the skin that look like mushrooms, all varying in size and height. Jisoo notices the black bloodshot eyes and parted mouth on this particular body.

"The body's not that old...' Roseanne says. 'Keep your eyes and ears open." Jisoo nods and finally peels her eyes away from the horrendous sight to what lies ahead. She creeps down the hall, her chest feeling tight while watching the closed doors on each side that, hopefully, are locked.

At the end of the hallway is a narrower corridor that is partially blocked by a vending machine. From above, the ceiling comes down in a slant with debris threatening to fall at any given moment. Jisoo turns halfway and sidesteps through the small opening on the left. One step at a time, she slides across while Roseanne follows close behind.

"Man... I hate small spaces.' Roseanne whispers as she slowly moves. 'I'm starting to think I suffer from claustrophobia or some—" Jisoo grabs her wrist and yanks her close.

"Watch it!"

Someone's hand grabs Roseanne's ankle and she almost screams if it weren't for Jisoo. They hear coughs and sharp gasps for air from below. Both women focus their flashlights on the ground to see a man, who is still alive, trapped underneath large fallen debris. A pool of blood lays underneath his broken body. He makes a weak attempt to reach out with his hand and his voice is hoarse as he speaks.

"P-please... help..." each word is a struggle for him to get out. Roseanne makes a move to help the guy but Jisoo holds her arm out. With narrowed eyes, she checks closer at the man's gas-mask and sighs.

"My mask... it broke. D-Don't leave me to turn... please."

Jisoo straightens up again and Roseanne faces her to ask, "what should we do?" Guilt eats away at Jisoo as she contemplates her options. Finally, she decides to use one of her precious bullets. It's best to put the poor man out of his misery quickly.

"Poor bastard." Roseanne remarks as Jisoo lowers her arm. They watch the blood drip from the clean hole on the man's head.

"May his soul rest in peace,' Jisoo quietly says after a moment, then turns away. 'Let's keep moving." A few more minutes of the walking pass before Jisoo and Roseanne pause. They share a glance.

"You hear that?" Roseanne whispers. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up and her heart does a mini-summersault. Jisoo grabs Roseanne's wrist and pulls her into an open room.

"Turn your flashlight off." Jisoo quickly says as they crouch behind an office desk. Footsteps pound against the floor as the infected sprint down the hall. Their screams are ear-splitting. Jisoo holds her breath as they near the door. The sound of her beating heart is louder than anything at the current moment. Roseanne keeps eye-contact with her, and they wait as the infected slow down and begin to wander again. After communicating with a hand signal, Jisoo moves to one side of the room while Roseanne moves to the other and carefully make their way to the front.

The panting of an unstable individual is heard as he comes into the room. He drags his foot along the floor in a limp and repeatedly smacks the back of his head. Odd mumbling elicits from his mouth, turning from growls to random gibberish being spoken. Jisoo notes the type of infected this one is: Runner.

A Runner is the first stage of infection after turning. The eyes of a Runner appear bloodshot and veiny. Animal instinct takes over their senses, and they use both sight and hearing to locate their surroundings. One can be identified from afar by the way it consistently mumbles and when provoked, the way it screams. Runners also resemble closest to normal human beings because they're still in the early stages of transformation.

Jisoo waits behind a desk for the Runner to limp past, then peeks over at Roseanne and motions for her to get the door. The latter immediately understands and moves. She gives a gentle push so that the door almost closes. Turning back to watch the Runner, Jisoo stealthily moves towards him from behind while keeping her head low. She won't be needing a gun for this.

The Runner almost screams again if it weren't for Jisoo wrapping her arm around his neck, effectively cutting off his windpipe. He struggles against her grip and snaps his body from side to side. Jisoo tightens her hold on the Runner's throat and continues to do so while he chokes for air. Eventually, the struggles die down and his body slumps in Jisoo's arms. She lays the Runner down to the floor and checks his pockets, happy to find a small pack of ammunition for a pistol in his inside coat pocket.

"Let's go," Jisoo whispers to Roseanne after coming back, she nods and slowly inches the door open again. Roseanne glances from side to side as she sticks her head into the hall and begins to move again. They manage to reach the end of the hall and enter the last main room before more screaming and shuffling are heard. Both Jisoo and Roseanne crouch behind a wide wooden cabinet, watching as a figure darts into the room. The figure turns out to be a woman, most likely the partner of the guy they encountered earlier. She has two Runners hot on her tail. Jisoo sees that she's injured too; the woman keeps a bloody hand held to the side of her gut. Before either hidden person can react even further, the woman cries out loud in pain because one of the Runners has finally caught up with her. She trips and falls, body writhing to escape the grasp of the Runner, but it's futile; she's already been bitten.

Jisoo curses under her breath after having witnessed the cannibal feast taking place before her very eyes. Both Runners rip chunks of the unfortunate woman's flesh with their teeth while she screams bloody murder. Roseanne silently grimaces, she turns her head away from the scene. Jisoo, however, sees this as a chance to sneak by without getting caught. She taps Roseanne's arm and inches closer to whisper, "they're distracted with her. Let's sneak past." After a moment of glancing into Jisoo's eyes, the latter nods and proceeds to follow close behind.

The women circle at the edge of the area. Both Runners and the woman/their meal is roughly in the middle of the room. Jisoo keeps her breath steady as she stealthily moves, keeping her head low. After every couple of steps, she pauses and checks if the Runners are still preoccupied. So far things are clear. Continuous sounds of chomping, chewing, and the woman's low moans echo off the walls. They reach the end of the room and Jisoo reaches for the handle to the exit. The door slightly creaks as it's opened, and finally, Roseanne enters.

The exit door leads to a staircase that goes up two flights. Roseanne carefully makes her way up the stairs while Jisoo gently pushes the door almost closed, then she follows behind. All is generally quiet except for the sounds of their boots making contact with the creaky steps. They make it to the second flight of stairs, but that's when the floor gives way underneath Roseanne's weight. She yelps and curses loudly as her leg falls and becomes trapped in the new hole. Jisoo cringes at the sudden sound. Surely the Runners must have heard it too.

"Shhh..." Jisoo whispers while gripping Roseanne's shoulders. They stay still and wait, but soon come to realize that it's too late. Loud footsteps and the familiar screaming rings in their ears. Jisoo's heart lurches against her ribcage. "Get up now!" She yells at Roseanne and attempts to lift her.

Roseanne wiggles and tries to pull her leg free. "Fuck Jisoo-yah, I'm stuck!" Both their heads snap to the direction of the door as it slams open. Two Runners burst through the door and scream at them. Jisoo gives one final tug and Roseanne's body finally lifts free. They scramble off the floor of the staircase. One of the Runners makes a grab for Jisoo and she kicks it on the chest, the impact knocking the Runner back into the other one and they both go tumbling down the stairs.

Jisoo hurries after Roseanne up the stairs. Below them, the Runners quickly recover and chase right after. As soon as the duo reach the top, they sprint through the main doors and turn to slam them shut. Jisoo curses as she and Roseanne push against two heavy bodies ramming themselves repeatedly. "Find something to put in between the handles,' Jisoo yells to Roseanne over the consistent growls and screams. 'I'll keep them locked in!" The other woman nods and glances around, then heads into another room. Jisoo snarls at a Runner managing to stick its head into the little opening of the main doors. "Roseanne!" Jisoo yells, then she pushes with all her might to keep the Runners at bay. Finally, her partner comes jogging back into the hall with a wooden cane in hand. Roseanne slides the object in between the door handles and Jisoo finally lets go.

The two women stand back and watch as the Runners repeatedly bang and push against the now-locked main doors. They catch their breath; Jisoo bends over with her hands on her knees, inhaling and exhaling.

"You can take off your mask now, " Roseanne exclaims from behind. Jisoo nods and slowly pulls the protection off her head.

"That was a close one..." Jisoo remarks, her partner chuckles.

"All in a day's work,' Roseanne replies. 'Let's get going soon, daylight's bleeding." After doing a quick check around the area, Jisoo follows Roseanne out of an opening in the wall and hops to the ground of the street below, tucking and rolling as they land. Roseanne takes in a deep breath and sighs. "Ahhh... some fresh air,' she says. "That's the one thing I love about the outside. Fuckin' hate the smell of the city."

Jisoo ponders for a moment as they walk. "Why don't you ask Teddy to get you some of those air fresheners then?" she asks. Roseanne scoffs and uses her forearm to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

"Well maybe if they weren't expired, that'd be a good idea."

The duo continues to walk in between an alleyway to reach the next street. Late afternoon sunlight shines in Jisoo's eyes, so she holds a hand up to block it. Roseanne sneaks a glance at the other woman. She finds herself marvelling at the way the light brightens and adds colour to Jisoo's porcelain-like skin. "You know,' Roseanne continues. 'It's almost like we're on a date."

Jisoo smirks as her eyes fall to the ground. "Well... I am the romantic type." Roseanne raises her eyebrows.

"Really?"

"Ouch... Why the look of surprise?"

Roseanne bursts into laughter and holds a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry, but in all the time I've ever known you, the romantic type would be one of the last things I'd use to describe your character. You're more... serious, and well, careful."

"Hmm... I'll take that as a compliment," Jisoo replies as she glances further ahead. A few moments pass where Roseanne smiles to herself before continuing the conversation.

"In all seriousness though, I just have to ask... Where do you see yourself in, say, five to ten years?"

Jisoo furrows her eyebrows as she registers the question. "I don't know. Surviving, I guess. Continuing to make drops and deals so we can live to see another day."

"That sounds likely,' Roseanne replies, then she glances at Jisoo again. 'And... us?"

"Hm? What about us?"

Roseanne racks her brain for the words to come out of her mouth right. She's hesitant while she speaks. "You and I. When um— where do you think we'll be by then?"

Jisoo rubs the nape of her neck and unconsciously takes a side-step to distance herself from Roseanne. She takes a few moments to consider her answer. "Well, I hope we'll stay the same. You're my partner and we depend on each other. I'm alive because of you and that's a debt I'll never be able to repay."

"Oh, I think our relationship has progressed way beyond that.' Roseanne shakes her head. 'You don't need to repay me."

"Then you don't know me as well as you think you do. I'll always feel the need to owe you. That's just how I work,' Jisoo retorts with a roll of her eyes and looks around. 'The entrance is just up ahead. Let's focus on what we're here for."

"You think RM will still have our guns?" Roseanne asks.

"For his sake... he better." The venomous undertone appears in Jisoo's voice again. With narrowed eyes, she marches further ahead leaving a disappointed, but not surprised, Roseanne trailing from behind.


End file.
